Beretta 92F
Now, you might think, “Come on man (in my best Joe Biden voice), everyone knows the 9mm Beretta 92.” You wouldn’t be wrong, but most people are less familiar with the Beretta 92F. In the United States, the Beretta 92FS and Beretta M9 models have reigned at the top of handgun charts for decades, while the 92F saw limited and short-lived production.
Related: Two Guys One Gun, Episode 6 – The Beretta 92
The Beretta 92 design is derived from the Beretta M1951, which uses the same hinged locking block that was first used in the Walther P38. Entering production in 1976, it didn’t take long for Beretta’s hot new Model 92 to draw international interest for military handgun trials.
In 1984, Beretta released the Model 92F – the F standing for “Federale” to represent the U.S. federal contracts the company was competing for with this handgun. The 92F’s claim to fame was standardization so that all parts could be interchangeable in service. The 92F also featured a squared-off trigger guard, a hard-chromed bore, and a new durable coating that better protected the firearm as opposed to the bluing on previous models.
Short-lived Service
The Beretta 92F was selected to compete to replace the aging 1911 in U.S. military service. Its fame grew as the Model 92F was used in “Lethal Weapon” as well as the classic Christmas movie "Die Hard." However, a few catastrophic slide failures with the 92F during military trials led Beretta to take the design back to the drawing board. In response, a modified slide design was introduced as the new 92FS, thus ending the Model 92F.
Interestingly, Beretta discovered that the catastrophic slide failures were actually due to out-of-spec ammunition used in the trial. It had nothing to do with the design. Shortly after this discovery, Beretta sued the U.S. for defamation and won the case, forcing the U.S. military to pay for the new upgrades to the design.
While lots of people have 92FS and M9 models, the 92F is an older, scarcer, unique model with a storied history. It’s worthy of a place in any collection. Regardless of its short-lived life, the Beretta 92F was a key model in establishing a dominant reign for the design. And I have a soft spot for any firearm used in “Lethal Weapon” or “Die Hard.”
Related: Beretta 92 Buyer’s Guide
UTAS UTS-15
If you play video games, it’s basically impossible to not recognize the UTAS UTS-15 12-gauge. This pump-action shotgun is not only a bullpup but has an inverted design with the magazine tubes located at the top of the barrel. The shotgun feeds from two seven-round capacity tubes, which combined (plus one in the chamber) give the user 15 rounds of 2.75-inch 12-gauge shells at their disposal. Hence the UTS-15 designation.
The design spawned from a Smith & Wesson request for a 12-gauge police shotgun under 30 inches long with a capacity of at least 13 rounds. The Turkish company UTAS immediately began work on the design, finalizing the UTS-15 for production in 2012.
The design boasts double the capacity of most major pump-action designs while staying compact and light. The magazine tubes can be set by a switch in the rear of the receiver to feed from either side or alternate feeding from both tubes. The UTS-15 is fairly easy to field strip and only weighs around 7 pounds unloaded.
This funky, higher-capacity design has been used in several video games, including “Fortnite.” While forward-thinking, the design remains a bit of a novelty item. Regardless, the unique platform stirs intrigue, especially considering how simple (and boring?) most pump actions can be.
SRM M1216
Sticking with the video game shotgun theme, next up is the semi-automatic 12-gauge M1216 shotgun manufactured by SRM in the United States. Somehow, the M1216 is even more unique than the bullpup UTAS. This semi-auto shotgun features four magazine tubes that are quickly removed and rotate during firing. Each tube holds four 2.75-inch shells, giving the shotgun a 16+1 capacity.
My first experience with this shotgun was grinding through the waves of zombies in “Call of Duty: Black Ops II.” Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine the design was not only real but was sitting on a shelf in the Guns.com warehouse waiting for me to go down a long rabbit hole of “Forgotten Weapons” videos.
The unique design is fast. When one tube is depleted of its four rounds, the bolt locks to the rear. The user can then actuate a tab toward the forend of the quad tube, unlocking it so it can be rotated clockwise until the next loaded tube locks into place. Once the next tube is indexed and locked, the bolt automatically slams forward and loads the next round, making it quick to cycle through all 16 rounds.
The mainly polymer design is compact and light. The shotgun features a fixed cylinder bore, and the chamber is capable of firing both 2.75 and 3-inch shells. This unique design takes advantage of space, offering quick reloads and lots of power that can be fired off quicker than a pump-action design. And it’s still not overly complicated. Add it all up, and it makes one of the most interesting and unusual designs to make its way through the warehouse.
Summary
Seriously, I feel like at the end of each one of these articles I should just start thanking the Lord for how blessed I am to have this job. There is nothing better than getting to browse one of the largest selections of used firearms in the country and geeking out over firearm after firearm every single day.
If you can think of it, there is probably a good chance we have it, so let us help you find your next dream firearm.
